Joyce to fight Parker in September

Joe Joyce will face Joseph Parker in a heavyweight contest on 24 September in Manchester.


Parker and Joyce appeared set to fight in July, the fight even announced, before talks broke down.


But with the fight now agreed Joyce said he believed one more win will secure him a world title shot.


“Parker realised he had nowhere else to go and eventually had to take this fight,” Joyce said. “The winner goes on to fight for the world title.”


Joyce is ranked number one by the WBO and number two by the WBC. The winner could be announced as mandatory challenger for the heavyweight WBO world title which is currently held by Oleksandr Usyk – the Ukrainian facing Anthony Joshua later this month.


“It’s going to be a cracking fight and you will see why he tried so hard to avoid me,” Joyce added of the bout with Parker.


Parker, 30, is a former holder of the WBO title and has just two defeats on his record.
I have waited patiently to get this fight on and let me tell you now, the Juggernaut’s journey ends right here. He has nowhere to run.”


The announcement comes as a shock to boxing fans after weeks of stalled negotiations between Parker and Joyce and their respective teams.


Parker had pencilled in to fight Joyce this summer on BT Sport after agreeing to the bout in April. The fight was even announced during Tyson Fury’s heavyweight clash with Dillian Whyte on 23 April.


There was a face-to-face backstage ahead of a July bout, but no contract was officially signed.